Numbers 5:11–31

Numbers 5:11–31 is a difficult passage for many faithful interpreters. The trial by ordeal stipulated in the text seems strange to many modern readers. Hanna Lis does not resolve the issues but her treatment here is interesting both in her survey of rabbinic interpretations and in her suggestion of the purpose of the practice.

Lamentations: What Kind of Grief?

I was recently listening to a podcast on teaching Lamentations where the point was being made that the book teaches about grieving generally. While there is much grief in Lamentations, is it really about grieving in the general sense? Aren't the poetic expressions about the devastating consequences of sin against God (historically of the devastation of Jerusalem in 586 BC by the Babylonians). While the podcast mentioned sin and judgment it was almost an aside. Lamentations is not really  designed primarily as a book of comfort for those who have experienced tragic and unimaginable losses but a warning that rejecting God has tragic and unimaginable consequences. Sin and judgment frame the grief so powerfully expressed in the text.We should preach and teach it accordingly.

Matthew 11:31-32: The Unpardonable Sin

Here is a table outlining various views concerning the unpardonable sin in Matthew 11:31-32.
 

The Unpardonable Sin: Three Questions
What is it?	Why is it unpardonable?	Can it be committed today?
Rejection of the work of the Spirit through Christ and attributing it to Beelzebub	Rejecting the work of the Spirit through Christ is equivalent to rejecting Christ	Yes by rejecting the person of Christ
Rejecting Jesus’ by attributing his Spirit-empowered exorcisms to Satan	Rejecting the work of the Spirit entails rejecting His work in the human heart	Yes by continuing in unbelief
Rejecting God the Father by rejecting His work in the Son by the Spirit		No, the unpardonable sin requires seeing Christ perform miracles through the Spirit and attributing those miracles to Satan

Sin as a Scent?

  
The winner of the SMH award has to go to Kilian Hennessey's new collection of perfumes. This perfume had the following a write up in the February 21, 2013 edition of the Dallas Morning News.

"In the Garden of Good & Evil, plays on the myth of original sin with a trio of scents: Good Girl Gone Bad, Forbidden Games and in the City of Sin. Each swoon-worthy fragrance, a different blend of sweet fruit, spice and woody notes, is housed in a lacquered white clutch with a serpent ornament. Use with guile. 1.7 ounces, $245 at . . ."
 

Moral Equivalence

  
Kevin DeYoung has a nice discussion of moral equivalence here.
 

A Lack of Accountability

  
See this article concerning the lack of accountability among Christians.
 

Books on Sin

Joe Thorn has posted his recommendations for books related to the doctrine of sin. Read the recommendations here.

John Frame on the Problem of Evil

See Andy Naselli's interview of John Frame on the problem of evil here.